Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deliroma’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Deliroma’, characterized by its daisy-type inflorescences with red and yellow bi-colored ray florets; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; good postproduction longevity; and resistance to White Rust.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Deliroma.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium and referred to by the name ‘Deliroma’.

The new Chrysanthemum is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous cut Chrysanthemum cultivars with interesting inflorescence forms and attractive floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination on Mar. 24, 2000 in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, of a proprietary seedling selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB7661, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB8696, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands since May 22, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Deliroma has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Deliroma’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Deliroma’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Daisy-type inflorescences with red and yellow bi-colored ray         florets; typically grown as a spray-type.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Early and uniform flowering response.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.     -   5. Resistant to White Rust.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had shorter and thicker         flowering stems than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the         female parent selection had purple-colored ray florets.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were resistant to White Rust         whereas plants of the female parent selection were susceptible         to White Rust.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more vigorous than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent         selection had pink and white bi-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Repulse, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Repulse in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had thicker leaves than         plants of the cultivar Repulse.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering         than plants of the cultivar Repulse.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more ray florets per         inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Repulse.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Repulse         differed in ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Deliroma’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of the lower and upper surfaces of typical inflorescences and typical leaves of ‘Deliroma’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary siginificance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 's Gravenzande, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 19° C. and light levels were about 4,000 lux. Plants were grown as spray-types and were about ten weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar     Deliroma. -   Commercial classification: Daisy-type Chrysanthemum typically grown     as a spray-type cut flower. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB7661,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number DB8696,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 6 days at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 10 days at             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 14 days at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine and freely branching; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy-type cut Chrysanthemum;             typically grown as a spray-type; erect and strong flowering             stems.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate; moderately vigorous.         -   Flowering stem description.—Length: About 70 cm. Diameter:             About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Color: 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About             7.5 to 10.5 cm. Width: About 4.5 to 8 cm. Apex: Mucronate.             Base: Obtuse. Margin: Pinnately lobed; serrate. Texture,             upper and lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Petiole length:             About 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 137A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Between             137C and 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Closest to 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:             Between 137C and 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147B.             Venation, lower surface: 146B. Petiole, upper and lower             surfaces: 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             spatulate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage. Disk and ray florets develop             acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not fragrant,             Typically grown as a spray-type.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant             typically flower in November in the Northern Hemisphere. At             other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and             development can be induced under short day/long night             conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plants exposed             to long day/short night conditions after planting followed             by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower             about 50 days later. Early and uniform flowering response.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut inflorescences will maintain             good substance and form for about three weeks.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—About 30 to             35 inflorescences per flowering stem.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 to 6.5 cm. Depth             (height): About 2.5 to 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 8 mm.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Globular. Color: 146B.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Corolla tube length:             About 1.75 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Acute to rounded, emarginate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 20 in a             single whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards             the apex, 53A; towards the base, 5A. When opening, lower             surface: 6C underlain with 59D. Fully opened, upper surface:             Towards the apex, 53A; towards the base, 5A. Fully opened,             lower surface: 5C underlain with 59D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About             160 to 170. Color: 145C; towards the apex, 153C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 1.5 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther color: 14A. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to be resistant to White Rust. Resistance to known     Chrysanthemum pests and other pathogens has not been obsrved on     plants of the new Chrysanthemum. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Deliroma’, as illustrated and described. 